Signal



July 23, 1929. s. w. RAPP SIGNAL Filed Sept. 5, 1927 gwwzntob Geode WT R077 Patented July 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES GEORGE W. RAPP, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

SIGNAL.

Application filed September 6, 1927. Serial No.217,780.

My invention rel-.iles to signalsand has for its primary object to provide an automatically operable signal :for indicating any slacking of speed of motors, engines, and moving vehicles, such as automobiles, trains or street cars,-the signal in the latter instances serving to warn a. vehicle approaching from the rear of a slacking in the speed of the signalequipped vehicle in front.

The invention also has for an object to provide a very simple electrically operated and speed control signal of this kind which will be of inexpensive construction, positive in operation and which will not be actuated when the vehicle increases in speed.

Other objects and advantages of the iuvention will be apparent as the description proceeds, and in order that the same may be better understood reference is had to the aocompanying drawing which illustrates the now preferred forms of the invention.

In'the drawings, whereinfthe same reference characters designate the same parts in all views,

Figure 1 is a view partly in elevation and part-ly in section and illust-rating a signal embodymg my invention;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Figure 1; I $0 Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective View of a Contact post;

Figure 4 is a front eleva-tion of a modified form of the invention;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of a detail; and

Figure 6 is a cross-section similar to Figure 2 but showing the modified form of the invention. 'A

Referring specifically to the drawings, 1 designates generaly a Governor which is journalled upon shaft. 2 wiich may be secured to any suitable support. The upper collar 3 ot the governor is fixed against axial movement,

being supported on a shoulder of the shaft. .A gear 4 adjacent collar 3 and driven by a bevel gear 5 serves to drive the governor 1. The bevel gear 5 is journalled in a suitable bearing of' support 6 and is driven by a flexible drive connection 7 which isgeared as at. 8 to the gear 9 of the speedometer cable 10.

The lower collar or sleeve 11 of' the governorl has attached thereto the lower ends of the governor arms 12 said sleeve receiving serves to clamp the metalcontact carrying a collar 13 secured by a nut screw l-l which.V

arms 15 in place and against the shoulder of sleeve 11. v-

In the form of inventionshown in Figure 1 a fibre bar 16 is provided at right angles to arm 15, which isbifurcated as at 15a to engage the sides of bar 16. The fibre bar 16has its edge facing the bight portion of bifurcation 15 formed with tooth-like serrations 17 the slanted surfaces 17a'ot which have inserted therein contacts 17 b which are connected as at 18 to a current carrying wire 19 lrunning longitudinally of the fibre bar 16.v Electrical connection is had from Wire 19 to.`

wire 22 to the binding post 23 vof an il luminated lamp box signal 24. The other bindingpost 25 of the signal 24 has its Wire. 26 sultably grounded as indicated at 26a Aboltl 27 secures the contact finger 28 in place on governor arm 15 and said finger maybe ad.

justed by set screw 29. The outer` end of finger 28 is drawn thin to define a -very iiexible cont-act point which is adapted to'engage the contacts 17 b on the slanting sides of the' teeth 17 when the arm 15 of the governor i descends when the speed 'of the vehicle slaclens. It is, of course, to be undertsood that when the speed of the vehicle increases and the arin 15 is drawn up the end of the contact member 28 will engage the horizontal sides of the teeth 17 and jump over the c ontacts 17b which are disposed upon the slantiner surfaces 17 n of such teeth.

y this arrangement the circuit of the signal 24 will be closed only when the speed of the vehicle slacken's. The very thinl drawn end of the contact element 28 coup ed with the slightly upturned shape thereof tends to cause said arms to disengage from the contact 17b when the speed of the vehicle is mainv tained at a uniform rate after a decrease in speed. Thus the signal will only be on,t0 all intents and purposes,-When the vehicle is decreasing speed.

A modified form ot' the invention is shown in Figure 4 wherein a fibre block 30 is proe vided corresponding to block 16 and which fibre block 30 is rectangular-ly cored out 'as indicated at 3l and has provided therein adjacent one side, with an upstandinol metal post 32 which has at its lower end a lbinding' post 33 ltor securing the metal post in the block 3() and which -is connected by Wire 34: to the battery B. The wire 34 corresponding I vtothe, wire'31 inthe form of the invention already described,l The form of invention shown in Figure ldiffers from the previously described form only in the block 30 4and formation of the contact finger arm 35 which vcarried by .the arm of the governor. The

I' contact finger A35 which is secured to the govcarrying post orstrip 32- cooperates withthe slackens down and tact end 35a will be engaged by the subJaccnt ba'ckof the fibre block 30 in supporting diag- ,onal strips 37 having oppositely curved ends 38 and 39. The upper surfaces of the ends 39 ofV the members 37 have contact vplates 39a which ofcoursemake a contact with the upstaruflino'po'st 32.l The' ends 38,39 are suiiciently'tfleitible to permit the circular end 35a of the contact element 35 to forceits way past the same, reference being had tothe arrows in Figure 4 which indicate the direction of movement of the contact member 35 with the governor arm 15. By reference to Figure 4 it will be evident that when the governor arm 15 l'is moved upwardly the contact end 35a will engage' they fibre lower portion of one of the diagonal elements 37 passing from the end 39 l -diagonally upward and past the end 38. So

' long as the speed so ofthe vehicle increases. the contact end 35 will ass upwardly at the right of the block and) between the side thereof and the ends 38 of the diagonal members.

However, as soon as the speed of the vehicle the arm 15 lowers the conend 38 of one of the diagonal members .37 which end 38. by the way, is relatively 1nflexible in a downward direction) thus causing the contact end to slide transversely swinging on 27 as a pivot and to engage the contact portions 39 at the lower end of elements 37, thus closing the circuit of the signal. When the speed ofthe vehicle increases the contact end 35, of course, will engage the ends 39 of the diagonal element and the contact end 35 will be moved upwardly andthe circuit will be broken.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tolsecure by Letters latcnt isi- 1. In an electric signal, a speed vresponsive governor, 'an arm carried thereby, a post of' non-conducting material arranged at right angles to said arm, said arm having a bifnrcated end embracing said post whereby the latterguides the arm in its movement, a contact finger extending between the sides of the bifurcated end of' said arm, contacts on said post adapted to be engaged by said finger when the arm moves in one direction, and means associated with said post for pre venting said finger from engaging said 'con- 4tacts whent-he arm moves in the opposite direction.

2. In an electric signal comprising a signal element and circuit therefor, a movable speed controlled contact in said circuit, a series of insulated contacts in said circuit and over which said speed controlled contact plays whenmoved in one direction, supporting means for said insulated contacts, and diagonally disposed abutments carriedv by said contact supporting means for engaging 'the v speed controlled contact when it lis moved in the other direction to divert same laterally to prevent contact vwith said insulated contacts.

3. A signal circuit closer sponsive elements comprising an arm carried by said speed yresponsive element and eX- tending laterally thereof, a block extending in the direction of travel of said speed responsive element, a guiding connection between the end of said arm and said block, 'a plurality ofspaced circuit contacts carried by said block, a series of diagonally disposed shoulders protruding from the surface of said block and to the upper surface at one end of which shoulders said contacts are secured, a laterally movable contact member carried by said arm, said block having side flanges spaced from the ends of said shoulders whereby to maintain the contact ele-A 'iuent of said arm, in a position to be intercepted by the ends of said shoulders, the lends of said shoulders being relatively flexible, said laterally movable contact of said arm being adapted to play over said block contacts when said speed responsive element and arm are moved in one direction, and said shoulders being adapted to engage said contact to divert the saine laterally and along the opposite ends of said shoulder when the speed responsive element is moved in the opposite direction.

4. The combination set forth in claim 3, vand the ends of said Shoulder remote from the contact being adapted to intercept said arm carried contact element when the speed responsive element moves in the first mentioned direction whereby to swing arm carried contact element to a position to engage said contacts during the period of movement of said speed responsive member and arm in the direction first referred to.

5. A switch comprising al carrier, an arm extending laterally from said carrier, ablock having a guiding connection with the ends of said arm, a laterally movableeeontact member carried by said arm and havii'ig its end disposed adjacent the opposed surface of the block, a series of spaced dia onal shoulders protruding from the face o said block opposite the end of said arm, said shoulders having extremities at one end fiexible in one direction and extremities at the other end iexible in the opposite direction, said block having a marginal flange spaced from the ends of said shoulders, and adapted to maintain the contact' element of for speed reizo A said arm in a position to engage the ends of said shoulders in the movement of tbe speed responsive element and arm Contact elements disposed upon one surface of said shoulder at one end thereof and lying` in alined series, the ends of said shoulders being intlexible in the direction of said contact surfacesvvbere by the Contact element of said erin when the latter is moved in one direction Wili be diverted laterally away from said contacts, the opposite ends of said shoulders being yieldable in said direction of movement of the arm to permit said Contact to pass thereby but nonyieldable in the opposite direction whereby to direct Said arm carried contact in the direction of Said shoulder contactsnpon movement of the arm and its Contact in the reversed direction.

6. A circuit closer for speed responsive elements comprising an arm carried by the speed responsive element, a guide block ektending in tile direction of travel of said speed responsive element, said arm having a bifurcated end siidabiy engaging opposite sides of the block to provide a guiding connectionbetween seid arni and said block, a contact meriber carried by said arm, spaced contacts carried by said block, and over which said Contact element is adapted to play on the movement of the speed responsive element and arm in one direction, and means 'carried by said guide block for deflecting 'seid arm carried Contact element clear of said block Contact when 'the arm moves in the opposite direction.

ln testimony whereof l ax my signature.l

Grenen W. nerr. 

